Impressed!

[CC Help Jenn]

Just off of the Fantasy on 8/31 - and yesterday I received a hand addressed postcard from DCL.

 

Let me digress a bit. On all of our past cruises we normally jot down the name(s) of the people who make our cruise special on the comment card you get at the end of the cruise. At the end of this most recent cruise, I actually attached an extra sheet of paper and wrote WHY/HOW the specific cast members made our trip excellent. I wasn't sure it would get read - or perhaps thought it would get lost in the shuffle with all of the comment cards.

 

However, it looks like someone read it and appreciated the comments enough to send us a Thank You postcard. Really, this has impressed me - and also puts one more check mark in the pro column on why I love DCL.

 

[bsddsc]

your comments really do count towards promotions and even firings. For example, being promoted to serving in the Palo from one of the dining rooms. One of our all time favorite Palo servers, Anne Marie, has even been promoted to a Concierge Level manager because of her stellar reputation.

 

Conversely, a very bad Palo server that we had, sadly on our 25th wedding anniversary, was actually fired because of his arrogant attitude towards the guests. We personally wrote this person up and was glad to see some action came from ours and other comments.

 

Not only people, but activities too. On DCL's first cruise to Puerto Rico, we were very disappointed about our bus tour. Even our tour bus driver explained they tried to get DCL to do the tour differently. After all, they live and work there. We wrote a note after the tour and gave it to the tour desk and they actually refunded us half of the tour cost. We didn't even ask.

 

Almost every cruise, we single out someone who went the extra mile to make our cruise special. Keep the comments coming.

[dexddd]

We last sailed on the Dream a couple years ago and certainly noticed especially in the dining room a focus on customer satisfaction as we were on same trip as @help.

 

Several nights our servers would ask each person at our table how our meal was and what could be done to make it better. The speed of service was also much better as every night we were were being asked for dessert order 1 hour and 15 minutes into our seating which is much quicker than we've had in the past.

 

We learned that PJ who was one of the concierge hosts was formerly a Palo manager as we were told. All of the crew I talked to was very cognizant of the rules and high expectations that DCL had in regards to many different aspect of interactions with guests and the product provided.

 

On the downside, the prices for next year really bumped up on various sailings I looked at.

 

We did get an online survey which I completed but no postcard but that won't hurt my feelings as we had a great trip and really enjoyed the crew we met.

[CC Help Jenn]

We last sailed on the Dream a couple years ago and certainly noticed especially in the dining room a focus on customer satisfaction as we were on same trip as @help.

 

Several nights our servers would ask each person at our table how our meal was and what could be done to make it better. The speed of service was also much better as every night we were were being asked for dessert order 1 hour and 15 minutes into our seating which is much quicker than we've had in the past.

 

We learned that PJ who was one of the concierge hosts was formerly a Palo manager as we were told. All of the crew I talked to was very cognizant of the rules and high expectations that DCL had in regards to many different aspect of interactions with guests and the product provided.

 

On the downside, the prices for next year really bumped up on various sailings I looked at.

 

We did get an online survey which I completed but no postcard but that won't hurt my feelings as we had a great trip and really enjoyed the crew we met.

 

In the dining room - on different nights we had various chefs stopping by to chat at some of the tables. We even have a few pics with one of them - and he sent a magical memories certificate(or magical experiences certificate ?? Ill have to scan it) to our room because our 5 year old kept complimenting him and his food

 

The prices for next year are really high compared to this year or even when we went in 2012! But we did book on board anyway. Whether we will actually go is another story.

[MoyCoy]

In the dining room - on different nights we had various chefs stopping by to chat at some of the tables. We even have a few pics with one of them - and he sent a magical memories certificate(or magical experiences certificate ?? Ill have to scan it) to our room because our 5 year old kept complimenting him and his food

 

The prices for next year are really high compared to this year or even when we went in 2012! But we did book on board anyway. Whether we will actually go is another story.

 

So I am looking to book a cruise for 2015. I was astonished with the prices!!! I cruised The Magic and Wonder 7 years ago. I thought to myself... boy things must have really changed since then, just look at these high prices. WOW

[Ex techie]

When I was aboard, all comment cards are read and the rating was conveyed to the ship with a Guest Satisfaction Survey Score from the CD.

 

Special additional parties were held when the score went above a certain high percentage.

 

Personally I think they still do read all of them, but those that have taken that extra effort to detail specifics are most likely to receive a thank you postcard for their efforts and recognition that they went above and beyond to help the line keep informed on satisfaction levels, staff performance etc etc.

 

But kudos to you for taking the time to let them know in detail what was right and what could be improved and also to praise the CM's that made your cruise so special!

 

ex techie

[Ex techie]

Just off of the Fantasy on 8/31 - and yesterday I received a hand addressed postcard from DCL.

 

I just want to add that the style of writing that is only partially visible in your photo is consistent of a a younger person.

Someone that may be just out of high school and working minimum wage in somewhere near Celebration, or an agency that sent you the postcard.

 

If DCL sincerely meant it, they would use professionals with good handwriting, not agency staff to write the postcards with proper use of Capital Letters, and good hand writing as they do with the characters.

 

Sorry if it burst's your bubble, but from that photo, it's nothing more than a production line, minimum wage high schooler writing it.

Not someone competent or befitting the OLD Disney brand and service.

 

ex techie

[MizDaisy]

I noticed the handwriting too. Certainly it's someone shoreside, and I'm disappointed that the writing isn't nicer, but I also think if it had been computer generated, it would have less of a personal aspect to it.

 

We got a postcard like this one quite a few years ago....so I know that they do read the comment cards, and it's nice to know that they do.

[CC Help Jenn]

I noticed the handwriting too. Certainly it's someone shoreside, and I'm disappointed that the writing isn't nicer, but I also think if it had been computer generated, it would have less of a personal aspect to it.

 

We got a postcard like this one quite a few years ago....so I know that they do read the comment cards, and it's nice to know that they do.

 

Are you a catholic school teacher? Haha - just kidding. I went to catholic school. I am very particular about how my writing looks - even if I am just writing notes to myself.

[WoodyWindy]

Yeah, the prices I saw were horrific. Higher even than gett8ng a Grille room on Cunard!

[CC Help Jenn]

Yeah, the prices I saw were horrific. Higher even than gett8ng a Grille room on Cunard!

 

That they are, but with my on board booking discount and on board credit it isn't too much more than we paid in Sept 2012 - so I guess it really isn't THAT BAD. But I suppose I am used to the above average prices charged by Disney.

[OSUZorba]

I just want to add that the style of writing that is only partially visible in your photo is consistent of a a younger person.

Someone that may be just out of high school and working minimum wage in somewhere near Celebration, or an agency that sent you the postcard.

 

If DCL sincerely meant it, they would use professionals with good handwriting, not agency staff to write the postcards with proper use of Capital Letters, and good hand writing as they do with the characters.

 

Sorry if it burst's your bubble, but from that photo, it's nothing more than a production line, minimum wage high schooler writing it.

Not someone competent or befitting the OLD Disney brand and service.

 

ex techie

 

Somebody is jealous :p

[CC Help Jenn]

I just want to add that the style of writing that is only partially visible in your photo is consistent of a a younger person.

Someone that may be just out of high school and working minimum wage in somewhere near Celebration, or an agency that sent you the postcard.

 

If DCL sincerely meant it, they would use professionals with good handwriting, not agency staff to write the postcards with proper use of Capital Letters, and good hand writing as they do with the characters.

 

Sorry if it burst's your bubble, but from that photo, it's nothing more than a production line, minimum wage high schooler writing it.

Not someone competent or befitting the OLD Disney brand and service.

 

ex techie

 

Actually you did not burst my bubble at all. They could have sent nothing at all.

[MizDaisy]

Somebody is jealous :p

 

From what I understand, he/she was a crew member on DCL and has probably more days onboard than any of us. I don't think jealousy plays into it.

[MizDaisy]

Are you a catholic school teacher? Haha - just kidding. I went to catholic school. I am very particular about how my writing looks - even if I am just writing notes to myself.

 

Not even Catholic. Just OCD. ;) Unfortunately, I'm one of those who has a hard time not correctly spelling and grammar errors, too. :(

[Ex techie]

Somebody is jealous :p

 

Somebody's reading ability is lacking.

Read BOTH of my previous posts.

 

ex techie

[OSUZorba]

Somebody's reading ability is lacking.

Read BOTH of my previous posts.

 

ex techie

 

Note the emoticon, obviously I was joking. Though, I do think it is a bit ridiculous you are analyzing the 4 hand written characters that can be seen. Not sure how you can equate hand writing of 4 characters to level or experience of employee. I work with a lot of engineers with 30+ years of experience that couldn't write that nice to save their lives. Especially considering if it did from on board the ship, it would likely have been written by someone who isn't a native English speaker.

 

Regardless, it is still a nice gesture from Disney whether the address was written by the captain or a minimum wage employee in Kansas. If they claimed it was signed by the Captain or Walt Disney, and it was clearly done by a HS kid, then I could see the complaint, but I doubt that is the case.

[MizDaisy]

Not even Catholic. Just OCD. ;) Unfortunately, I'm one of those who has a hard time not correctly spelling and grammar errors, too. :(

 

Had to come back and CORRECT my own error! :p:p:p That should have said "not correctING spelling and grammar (or grammatical) errors. :o

 

I told you I was OCD.

Edited September 16, 2014 by MizDaisy

[Granana]

I, too, write comments on paper and attach to the comment card. I have received several postcards from DCL thanking me for taking the time to comment. Since I easily forget names, I jot down names on note paper in my bag so that I can remember names/countries of the CMs.

 

As an aside, Annie Marie left DCL a few weeks ago. She is pregnant and due the end of the year. Her husband, Zan, still works for DCL. We first met her in Palo on the Magic in 2004 and requested her each time we went to Palo on the Magic.

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Forums mobile app

Edited September 18, 2014 by Granana